Fans Told Mashed Their Favorite Alcohol Shot - Exclusive Survey
One way you know you've reached adulthood is when you're legally allowed into a bar. Through some trial and error, people eventually find their groove and which drinks they like best. Not only that, some people believe they can surmise parts of your personality based on what you drink. New Jersey Digest author Garrett Rutledge — a self-confessed "judgmental whiskey drinker who likes dark corners" — suggests wine drinkers are the socialites in different classes. For example, red wine drinkers are "snobs," white wine drinkers are "the talkative ones," and rosé drinkers are "new to [the] game." Beer drinkers, he believes, are harder to determine than they used to be based on the ever-changing beer scene and the introduction of craft beers.
Whatever your drink of choice, sometimes less is more. And, when it comes to alcohol shots, that statement makes perfect sense. A Quora poster asked, "Why do people drink shots? I've never understood this." It might appear to some that you're getting less for your dollars. It looks like a tiny drink compared to wine and beer. However, as one respondent replied, "The dosage of alcohol is equal to that of a standard serving of beer ... so you essentially can drink the amount of alcohol in a beer without actually having to drink beer." However, you may prefer the taste of shots over a large drink. In a recent survey, Mashed asked what people's favorite shots were.
Bottom's up to the bottom three shots
Mashed's exclusive survey received 582 responses, and six shots were named for voting. At the bottom of the bunch was the B-52, which got 4.64% of the vote. Although it's the least popular of the bunch, it has the most concrete origin story. According to MasterClass, it was a bartender named Peter Fich, in Alberta, Canada, who liked naming drinks after his favorite bands, and so the shot comes from the band The B-52s and contains three equal layers of coffee liqueur, Irish liqueur, and orange liqueur.
Coming in at number five, the Jager Bomb, at 8.42%, tends to be popular among the college crowd; this drink tends to be a bit of novelty as it's a shot of Jägermeister dropped into a glass of Red Bull, which you're meant to drink immediately. According to Sideshow Pete, it originated in 1997 around the Lake Tahoe area in California.
Number four is the Kamikaze receiving 9.11% of the votes. This shot — containing equal parts of vodka, triple sec, and lemon juice — has an unclear history. Wine Dharma suggests it was either born after WWII in Tokyo or as part of the '70s disco era.
Drum roll for the three most popular shots
Third place goes to the Melon Ball at 15.46%. This little drink has been around since at least the '70s, according to Mr. Boston Drinks, and contains equal parts vodka, melon liqueur, and pineapple juice.
Second place sees a big jump in the percentages, with the Lemon Drop at 29.04%. There seem to be several variations of this shot, but the ingredients remain the same — vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup. In some cases — such as this Absolut recipe — the glass is rimmed with sugar; in other cases, it's a wedge of lemon dipped in sugar that you suck on after taking the shot.
The winner — with just over 4% difference — was straight alcohol with 33.33%. This spot is definitely reserved for the bourbon drinkers or the whiskey or vodka lovers out there. You may think it takes a particular palate to enjoy straight alcohols, but, as this Mashed article suggests, some alcohols should be served straight.